The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-26
THE ELEcTHICAL COMPANY
To be Proceeded Against for Digging In the
.. -.s- Streets, a -

Tho special committee appointed BY
Council under q resolution offered by Mr.
]. a. Faris to investigate and ascertain
Whist Inducements in the line OF exemp
tons from taxation, water rents, or othel
valuable considerations 1t would be propel
and advisable to hold out to capital seek
ing to invest in manufacturing establish
ments to locate here, met at the
Public Building las. evening, snc
With it met the committee from
the Chamber OF Commerce, appointed q
the request OF the Council committee 70.
tho purpose Of discussing and advising
withitasto this important question. There
were present Couneilmen John Gavin, G,
B. Jones, ]. a. Faris and Frank Cruise, and
Messrs. Thomas O'Bsien, A. J. Sweeney,
John Mcclure and @. B. Hart Of the Cham.
ber's committee. Mr.. Gruse was made
chairman. a95
The meeting was in session over two
hours, and in that time the discussion
took a very wide and very interesting
range. Wheeling's many advantages, Gu.
peclally for those seeking to invest in in,
dustrial establishments, the causes that
have lod to manufacturing concerns being
located on the other side OF the river, the
booms in the northwest and other locsli-
tea, the prospect Of thoir duration aud
the cauBes that HAYS led and are lead
ing to them and the decline OF
these booms that has already act in
in several localities; the Wheelsng people
that arc rushing to other iar.away places
to invest their money in lands and manu-
featuring; the electon Western booms OF
the Interstate Commerce law the short.
sighted policy on the part of several
Wheeling capitalists In allowing sure pay
ing industries that would have been start
ed here, to die Tor the want Of encourage
ment-sll these and many more kindred
topics we're discussed informally and the
information thus brought out was subject
for both congratulation aud coincidence.
In order to have something to talk
about the following resolution was intro
duced by Mr.. Faris:
Resolved, That any and all new manu-.
featuring establishments employing not
less than City men and located within the
city limits be exempted for the period OF
ten years from the payment Of city taxes
and water rents.
1t wa discovered, however, early in the
proceedings hat 1t would not be legal to
exempt from taxation. Section 20 Of the
act incorporating the city provides for the
levy Of an annual tax on all real estate
and tithables within the city, without
exception" and the apprsisement is to be
made by the assessors impartially and
faithfully. That part in relation to taxa.
ton was accordingly stricken out. 1t was
then suggested that to free water rent for
q period Of years be added the gas ueces.
gary for illuminating the establishment,
The proposition to make any exceptions
met with opposition. II was argued that
the city possessed sufficient advantages In
the way Of splendid police and Gre pro.
lection, eligible sites, competing tranepor.
tation rates and above all, low taxation,
without adding to all this free water and
gas. It wa shown further that the lack
Of a Wheeling boom was owing largely to
a failure on the part OF certain citizens to
encourage one.
1t was suggested that this proposed ex.
emption OF new establishments would be
hurttul discrimination against the estab.
ljshments that have been here for years.
A resolution was offered to include in the
provisions Of the one given above any old
establishment that should enlarge 30 as to
accommodate fifty more employees. It
was at once demonstrated that this was
impracticable and 1t WAS voted down,
Another suggestion was that free gas
and watas should be given only when a
certain number OF new establishments
should be started; Tor instauce-when two
new potterles shall be started in this CITY
then tho two and MI other potteries in tbs
city shall haye free gas and water Tor a
term Of years, and similar provisions to be
made respecting other classcs of industry.
This was productive Of considerable de-.
bate, several very formidable objections
being brought forward,
Captain Mcclure suggested exemptiuo
for ten years, for Illuminating gas and
water rents when used only in neccusary
quantities, any new concern employing
fifty hands, and in the establishment Of
$4,000 was expended, and thst no
like establishment already in operation
should be charged for q like term OF years
any gas:or water renta for any increass of
capacity they might make.
: The hour being late this, and all other
suggestions, together with instructions to